Blog

People in Film: Dania Majid

Oct 02, 2012

Festival season is in full swing, from North America to the Middle East.
The fifth annual Toronto Palestine Film Festival (TPFF) in Canada is currently running and on until Sunday.

Programmer Dania Majid tells us how TPFF began, explains why Palestinians need to tell their own stories and predicts which filmmakers are about to enjoy the spotlight.

DFI: How did TPFF begin?Dania: In 2008, a group of people held a discussion on how to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the Nakba in Toronto. Screenings of films on Palestine had been well-attended, so it was decided that a week-long festival featuring films about the Nakba and Palestinians in Palestine and diaspora would be a great away to tell rarely heard stories. There was a vacuum in Toronto around Palestinian and Arab arts and culture.

DFI: Everyone who puts on the Festival, including you, is a volunteer. What does it take to put it on?Dania: There are around 10 committee members each year. Each is responsible for a core area like programming, promotions, volunteers, theatre and ticketing logistics, special events and fundraising. We meet once a week and have a great dynamic. This is how we’re able to put TPFF on with such limited resources.

DFI: What’s different about this year?Dania: This is our most ambitious Festival. We’re hosting Marcel Khalife and the Al Mayadine Ensemble on closing night. Khalife is paying homage to the late Mahmoud Darwish by performing his poems in song.

DFI: How many films do you usually screen? Dania: Approximately 25. Many are Canadian and North American premieres. We’ve screened critically acclaimed films including ‘Salt of this Sea’ and ‘Slingshot Hip Hop’, and lesser known films from up and coming directors such as ‘Arafat & I’.

DFI: Why is Palestinian cinema important? Dania: As filmmaking technology becomes more accessible, a greater number of Palestinians are using film to tell their stories to a broader audience. While they might not be able to cross international borders, their stories in film can travel around the world. There are many great films about Palestine made by non-Palestinians, but it is very important that Palestinians access filmmaking to tell their own stories in their own voice.

DFI: What are the challenges? Dania: Most Palestinian filmmakers are independent so it’s difficult for them to secure funds. There may be pressure from foreign funders to change their stories and make them more ‘western-friendly’. For projects filmed in Palestine, there is the added complication of navigating the occupation. Once shooting is over, there are added costs: post-production, trying to find a distributor and finding festivals to screen the film. Without a national film industry, many Palestinian filmmakers are forced to navigate this complicated process on their own and rely on outside sources for assistance.

DFI: Who have you got your eye on as the next big thing?Dania: At Toronto International Film Festival this year, two great Palestinian filmmakers attended their world premieres – Annemarie Jacir and Mahdi Fleifel (‘A World Not Ours’). I expect great things from these filmmakers with these films and future projects. We’re pleased that others that have screened at past TPFFs are completing films too, including Cherien Dabis with ‘May in the Summer’.

DFI: What are the Festival’s greatest achievements?Dania: In our first year, Suheir Hammad came to represent ‘Salt of this Sea’ in the first year, and Danny Glover came to the screening. Jackie Salloum closed with her amazing ‘Slingshot Hip Hop’. Both were premieres and enjoyed sold-out screenings.

In our second year, Michel Khleifi, a founding father of Palestinian cinema, attended with the Canadian premiere of ‘Zindeeq’.

We’ve also held several panels with great filmmakers including Ken Loach, Paul Laverty, and Ossama Bawardi.

DFI: Complete this sentence. The most important people for TPFF are… Dania: …the audience. Without them it would just be empty rooms with films playing.

Discover the first Qatari feature film we'll be funding as part of our Qatari Film Fund! ‘Kakashi’ is a brilliant film directed by Yousef Al-Moadhadi and written by Hind Al-Ghawi and tells the story of Kakashi, a Japanese man who lives in a permanent state of panic and insecurity. His fiancée Sayuri has moved to London and has become unsure of her desire to marry this nervous wreck. To get out of the situation, she tells him he must meet her in London. Kakashi, who is terrified of flying and has never boarded an airplane, has no choice but to undertake the mission or lose his true love

Now playing in Doha: 'Minions' - the much anticipated prequel to the insanely popular 'Despicable Me' franchise. The film has pulled in over 700 million dollars worldwide so far and is among the summer's biggest hits. Who's seen it?

It's Bugs Bunny's 75th anniversary! The world's most famous rabbit has been 'what's up doc'-ing the world for over 75 years bringing so much joy and laughter all around the globe. Happy 75th, Bugs Bunny!

We’re developing nine short films by emerging Qatari filmmakers and we’re looking for acting talents! Residents of all ages, nationalities and experience levels to attend our open casting call next week for a wonderful opportunity to be involved in truly exciting film projects!Ausitions will take place between 2-15 August at our DFI Production Villa at Katara. To register, email: qff-productions@dohafilminstitute.com

Wonderful news - 5 of our funded films have been selected for the 72nd Venice Film Festival! 'Madame Courage' will screen at Orrizonti, 'Frency' (a Qumra project) will screen at the #Venezia72 Official Competition, 'Ali, The Goat and Ibrahim' will screen at Final Cut in Venice workshop while 'Mountain' will screen at the Critics' Week. Rounding up the selection is #Cannes2015 sensation 'Mediterranea' which will also screen at the fest. Congrats to all our outstanding grantees

We’re developing nine short films by emerging Qatari filmmakers and we’re looking for acting talents! Residents of all ages, nationalities and experience levels to attend our open casting call next week for a wonderful opportunity to be involved in truly exciting film projects!Ausitions will take place between 2-15 August at our DFI Production Villa at Katara. To register, email: qff-productions@dohafilminstitute.com

HE Dr. Hamad Bin Abdulaziz Al-Kuwari, Minister of Culture, with our Ajyal Youth Film Festival jurors at the Giffoni Film Festival - largest international youth film festival that continues to inspire us to deliver wonderful juror experiences every year at Ajyal

Our Ajyalis met the fantastic Martin Freeman! They asked him about how he wonderfully managed to take on so many challenging roles in the Hobbit franchise and most recently the Emmy award winning mini-series: Fargo!

The opening celebrations for the Giffoni Film Fest were so awesome that it left the crowd cheering even after they were over! Such an amazing atmosphere where stars and jurors meet, watch and discuss films. We're loving it - and so are our Ajyalis!